Pipe-organ



Hl B. HULBERT.

PIPE ORGAN.

APPLICATION HLED MAY :5. 19'11.

Patented Mar/16, 1920.

l N V EN TOR.

A TTORNE Y.

VWITNESS:

HOMER BL HULBERT, OF SPRINGFIELD, lvTASSACHUSETTS.

PIPE-ORGAN.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Mar. 16, 1920.

- Application filed 15. 1917'. Serial-No. 168,642,

To a]?! i ma it may concern:

in it known that I, HOMER l3. HULBERT, a citizen of the United States ofAmerica, residing in 5})1i11gficll, in. the county of llainpden andState of Massachusetts, have invented certain new and ust'ulImprovements in Pipe-Organs, of which the following a specification.

This in vention relates to pipe organs. One object of the in vention isto provide a device or mechanism .ior automatically varying the lengthor the column of vibrating air in an organ pipe so that the pitch of thetone of the pipe may be gradually raised or lowered in order to producean effect similar to that which is technically called "portamento on aviolin; that is to v, the pwsage from one note to another in acontinuous glide through all of the intervening tones. In

pipe rgans, as now coustriicted, so far as I am aware, there are nodevices which will automatically accomplish this very desirable result.A second object o'l this invention is to provide a. device forautomatically increasing or diminishing the loudness of the tone in anloudness oi? t :0 tone in any other pipe. A third object of theinvention is to provide means a u'oniatically energizing the valveoperati magnets o'l two adjacent pipes inorder to prevent a break in thetone when one pipe ceases to act and the adjacent one begins.

Broadly. this invention comprises a slide that is arranged on theoutside of an organ pipe and adapted, by means ot a suitable leverdevice. as for example, a bell-cranklever. to be moved up or down byelectroniagnets. thus varying the length of the col umn oi vibrating airin the pipe and consequently varving the pitch of the tone, either up ordown, at the will of the player. It is to be understood that a slide isplaced on each oi the pipes. The elecho-magnets are preferably, thoughnot necessarily, ar ranged in an arc of a circle for mechanicalconvenience for operating the valve operat ing lever device whichgoverns the movement of the slide on the pipe. A suilicicnt number ofthese electro-magnets is provided in order to cause the slides on thepipes to bev niovcd the required distance on the pipes i toaccomplishthe desired result; that is to say, in order to lengthen o ganpipe irrespective oi the- -more air t enter the pipe.

or shorten the column of air in the pipe so as to produce a continuousand harmonious sound from one note to another.

The invention further comprises an electrical. connection between thelast slide-- manual, of the organ whereby the operator iy sliding hisfinger along a flexible keyboard can conveniently control the opera tionof the slides on the pipes, as desired. Means are further provided forsupplying compressed air in varying quantities or pressures from thewind chest of the organ to each of the pipes and simultaneously with theoperation of the slides on the pipes. Also, means are provided forslightly lengthening the column of vibrating air in a pipe when. theoperator exerts an increased pressure on the key which causes. or allowsThis would tend to lower the pitch proportionately but as the: entry ofmore air into the pipe would .naturally tend to raise the pitch, thislengthening of the column of air just compensates in the oppositedirection and the pitch remains the same however loud the tone may bemade by the introduction at more air into the pipe. Any further objectsrelating to the nature and purpose of this invention will be set forthin detail in the body of the specification and will be particularlypointed out in the claims.

Referring to the drawings Figure 1 is a diagrammatic view showing inoutline two organ pipes giving successive notes of the scale, the meansfor electrically controlling the flow of compressed air to the pipes,the electromagnetic means for varying the position of the slide whichcontrols the length of the column of vibrating air in thepipe, and theelectrical connections between a series of manually operated levers andthe electro-magnets, also the electrical connections between said leversand the electro-magnetic devices which control the flow o1 compressedair from the wind chest to the pipes.

Fig. 2 is a plan view or one or the manuals oi the instrument, showing astrip of flexible material located, preferably though not necessarily,immediately in front and slightly lower than the ordinary key-board otthe instrument. This strip of flexible material shown with the usualkeys of an organ indicated therein, either by paintii r or othersuitable means. This flexible strip is composed of some insulatingmaterial which will effectively insulate it from the levers which areimmediately below it and which are sh wn in F 1 and 3.

l ig. dis a front elevational view, partly in section, showing series ofmanually operable levers which are used to close the electrical circuitsto one or more of the slideoperating electro-magnets. It also shows,

part of the figure, a set of conin the lower tact wires that arearranged in an inclined position and are embedded in a plate composed ofsuitable insulating material and so relat d to the curved end of thecontact lever, that when more pressure is exerted on the flexiblekey-board, the curved end of the le er will successively engage wireswhich are electrically connected to electro-magnets which operate thebell-crank levers on the pipes for causing them to move toward the left.

l ig. is a detail horizontal sectional view on an enlarged scaleconsidered as taken on the line of Fig. 1 showing the slides and theelectro-magnets for operating the,

same.

Referring to the drawings in detail: Two of the adjacent pipes of anorgan are indicated at 1 and 1 in a conventional manner and may beconsidered the a and #:a pipes in any octave. The electrically operatedvalves 2 in the wind chest 2 for controlling the flow of compressed airto each of the pipes are shown in a general way. it is to be umlerstoodthat a chest 2 with ralves therein employed for each pipe. The ordinarykeys o1. the organ are shown as a whole at 3; the white ones being shownat l and the black ones at 5.

Slidably mounted on the outside ends of the two pipes 1 and 1, indicatedat 5 and 6 respectively, are slides. These slides, as shown, areoperated by any suitable means, as by bell-crank levers T and 8 whichcan be moved by the series of electro-magnets 9, 10, 11, 12 and 13, liveof which shown for each slide. lhese magnets are individually located inthe branch circuits 1 1-, 1 1, 1 1 14 and 141 which lead to a pluralityof contact wires 15 that are fixed or en bedded in the base piece ofinsulating material 16. It will be noticed that the wires 15 arearranged in an. inclined direction, whereby the curved and flexiblecontact fingers 17 which engage the wi es 15 may successively close thecircuits of the magnets as 13, 12, 11, 10, 9, depending upon the degreeof pressure exerted by the player on the contact devices as will beexplained. 18 designates a plurality of pivotally-mounted levers thatare arranged immediately under a strip of flcxible and insulatingmaterial 19 which constitutes what may be termed a flexible key boardand these levers operated by pressing downward and sliding the linger upor down the scale on the upper surface of this key-board. The abovementioned strip of flexible material extends the whole length of thekey-board of the instrument. llt is situated immediately above and incontact with the manually operated contact closing levers 18. This stripof material has painted or otherwise indicated thereon, the usual keysoi the instrument as shown at 1 and 5.

Below each of these indicated keys there are shown five oi the levers18, each one of which is provided at its lower end with a curredflexible finger 17 already referred to. These levers are pivot-allyconnected With the instrument by means of a rod 20 which is insulated:lrom the instrument. T his rod has connected thereto a wire 21 thatleads to one terminal of the battery 21. The connections to theterminals of the electro-magnets 9 to 13 of the first series and to theterminals 13 of the second series of electromagnets shown, it will benoticed, are in series with the other terminal of the battery 21 bymeans of the wires LP, 15, 16, etc. The purpose 01 this arrangement isthat when the operator slides his linger along or up or down the scaleof the flexible key-board 19 exerting a downward pressure thereon, hewill energize in succession the different electro-magnets associatedwith each of the pipes and when the last magnet of one pipe is energizedit will. also cause the energization of the first magnet of the nextpipe so that the bell crank 8 of that second pipe will be attractedtoward the left hand end where one oi? the magnets 13 is located inorder to be ready to take up the tone at the instant the preceding pipestops. F or instance, in the drawing, Fig. 1, the levers 7 and 8 whichcontrol the slides 5 and 6 respectively will be in position that thecolumns of vibrating air in the two organ pipes which produce successivenotes the scale will be substantially Uhe san'ie length at the samemoment, thereby producing a gradual loudness of sound from one pipe tothe next. Furthermore, in order to increase the loudness of the tones itis necessary to increase the amount of compressed air that enters thepipes. This accomplished by means of the electro-magnetically operatedvalves shown at 2. These valves are operated simultaneously with theslides 5 and 6. It is a well-known fact that when the pressure of air ina pipe is increased it tends to raise the pitch of the tone. This throwsthe pipe out of tune with the rest of the instrument. In order,therefore, to be able to swell a single note in the organ some meansmust be provided where by the slide on the pipe may be automaticallylowered at the same time that more air is admitted to the pipe, in orderto compensate for the natural raising of the pitch which is caused bythe introduction of more air. This is accomplished by means of thecurved flexible finger 17 at the lower end of the lever 18 engaging, insuccession, the inchned contact wires 10. lVncn the loudness of the toneis to be increased, the operator presses harder on the keys representedon.

the flexible finger board 19.

This causes the contact finger 17 to engage successively the differentinclined contact wires 15, whereby the lever 7 will be attractedcorrespondingly toward the left thus lowering the slide 5 andlengthening the column of vibrating air in the pipe and compensating forthe raising of the pitch of the tone through the simultaneousintroduction of more air, by means of the valves 2 in the air chest 2,said valves being operated when the lever 18, by means of the arms 18closes the circuits to the electromagnets in the air chest 2. It is tobe understood that the contact wires 15 may be placed in a horizontal orother suitable position but it is less troublesome as far as mechanicalor structural details are con- .cerned to arrange them, as shown, in aninclined position. It is for this purpose that the contact wires 15 areset in an inclined position, so that increased pressure on the keyrepresented on the flexible strip 19 at 4; and 5 will cause the finger17 to operate by flexure, and engage successively the wires 15 to causethe cnergization of electromagnets to the left thus lowering the slide 5and compensating for the increased air pressure as above stated. It isto be understood that when the operator places his finger on the stripof flexible fabric 19, at the point 5, he can operate several of thelevers 18, and thus simultaneously close the circuit to the severalcontact fingers 17, whereby several of the valve operatingelectro-magnets as 10, 11 and 12 are energized. As the operator slideshis finger along the flexible strip 19 the corresponding levers 18 willbe successively operated thus causing the bell crank 7 to swing to theright or left in agradual manner, n'ieanwhile the other 18 of the levers18., according to the degree of pressure on the key board 19, areclosing the contacts at 20 to the wind chest 2 to'supply compressed airto the pipe under operation. It is to be understood that the normalposition of the levers 7 and 8 is vertical and that the same are movedeither of the magnets are. energized.

to the right or left depending upon which The slide 5 is moved so as toautomatically maintain the length of the column of vibrating airpractically constant.

If the operator desires to make a louder tone, he can do so by increasedpressure on the key board, for this will successively close the contacts20, thus increasing the pressure inthe pipe, but in swelling a singletone the natural raising of the pitch through increased air pressurewould naturally throw the pipe out of tune and to compensate for thisand keep the pitch constant in spite of the increased loudness, theslides 5 and 6 are simultaneously lowered, which will lengthen thecolumn of air in the pipe, thus lowering the pitch ust as much as theextra air pressure would raise it, thus securing an equilibrium ofpitch.

lVhat I claim is:

1. In a pipe organ, the combination with the pipes of the same of aslidefor each pipe for varying the length of the vibrating column of airtherein, electro-magnets for controlling the operation of the slides, asource of electric energy, connections between the source of electricenergy and the electromagnets, a plurality of circuit closing Wires,contact fingers to engage one or more of said wires to close one or moreof the connections to said magnets to cause the slides to be shifted forproducing a tone gradually varying in pitch in the pipes and from onepipe to the next, as set forth.

2. I11 a musical instrument of the kind described, the combination withthe pipes and key board of the same, of a plurality of manually operabledevices and electromagnetic means coutrolled by the devices forcontrolling the lengths of the columns of vibrating air in the pipes, asdescribed, in a uniformly or gradually varying manner.

3. In a pipe organ the combination with the pipes thereof, of a slidefor each pipe for varying the length of the column of vibrating air,electromagnetic devices for moving the slides, and electro-magneticdevices for controlling the supply of compressed air to each of thepipes and operated simultaneously with the movement of the slides,manually operated contact means electrically connected to said devicesand located adjacent to the key-board for causing the energization ofboth of the said electromagnetic devices, the electro-magnetic devicesof adjacent pipes which produce successive notes of the scale beingsimultaneously energized to cause the tones of the adjacent pipes to besubstantially of the same pitch for the purpose described.

4. In a pipe organ, the combination with the pipes thereof, of a slidefor each pipefor varying the length of the column of vibrating airtherein, electric contact de- Eli vices, a plurality of electro-magnets"for operating the slides, electrical connections between the contactdevices and the electromagnets, means for closing the contact devices oisaid electre-niagnets to change the position of the slides, valvedevices for varying the air pressure in the pipes, which latterdeviccsare operated simultaneously with said contact devices that closethe circuits to the electro-magnets for the purpose described.

5. The combination With the pipes of an organ, oi electro-magnetic meansfor varying the lengths of the columns; of vibrating air therein,including slides and electro magnets connected to shift them; means tosupply compressed air to the pipes, valves for controlling the air,manually operated means to cause the operation of said electro-magneticmeans and the simultaneous operation of the valves to vary the supply orcompressed air to the pipes.

6. A pipe organ having, in combination with the pipes thereof, a slideon each pipe for varying the pitch by changing the length of the column01 vibrating air therein, means including electro-magnetically op eratedvalves and electric connections therefrom for varying the supply and airpressure in the pipes, electro-magnetic means for operating the slidesincluding a plurality of manually operable electric contact levers foreach note of the instrument, flexible contact lingers carried by thelevers, a plurality of circuit closing contact Wll'GSl spaced from eachother and engaged by the flexible contact fingers, said levers alsoserving to simultaneously close the electric con nections to the valvesfor varying the supply of air to the pipes, whereby upon increasedmanual. pressure being applied on the levers, the air supply and thelength of the column oi? air in the pipes Will be varied by operatingtheslides on the pipes through the electric connections. to theelectro-magnetically operated valves and slides, thus compensating forthe natural rising of the pitch through the increased air pressure.

7 A pipe organ having devices for varying the lengths of the columns o1air in the pipes thereof, electro-magnets for operating the devices, aplurality of contact levers each lever having a contact finger forclosing the circuits to said magnets a plurality of inclined contactstrips with which the fingers engage to close successively the cir-'cuits to said magnets, whereby the slide de- \'i00s are movable at auniform rate of motion for the purpose of gradually varying the pitch ofthe tones of the pipes.

8. The combination in a pipe organ, of pipes, a slide for each pipe,electro-magnetic means for operating the slides, electric contacts underthe control of the operator for operating said slide operating means andadditional electro-magnetic means for simultaneously controlling thesupply of compressed air to the pipes as the slides are operated, forthe purpose of changing the tones of the pipes, either for raising orlowering the same, said slides serving to compensate for the raising 01the pitch of the note through increased air pressure by simultaneouslylengthening the column of air in the pipe.

9. In a pipe organ, the combination, oi pipes, aslide for each pipe forvarying the column or vibrating air therein, electromagnets foroperating the slide of each pipe, contacts, connections from thecontacts to the elcctro-magnets, and including a source of electricenergy, flexible fingers in the connections and means for comprising aflexible strip for operating the fingers when pressure is applied tosaid strip.

10. In a pipe organ, the combination, oi pipes, means for varying thelength of the column of vibrating air in each pipe, elec tro-magnets foroperating said means, electro-magnetic means for varying the airpressure in the pipes, tWo sets of electric contacts, connections fromthe respective contacts to said electre-magnets, a source of energy inthe connections, means for simultaneously closing the two sets ofcontacts and a flexible strip engaging the contact closing means tooperate the contact closingmeans when pressure is applied thereto, saidcontact closing means being so const-ucted as to cause a progressive orstep by step movement of the means for varying the length of the columnof vibrating air in the pipes and variation of the air pressure thereinas the length of the column is varied.

HOMER B. HULBERT.

